Clay's E7SE Build

[cml001]

Hi guys.. The remaining parts/equipment for my E7SE build should be here by Friday.. I thought Id get a little info from u guys to help me along. Here is my set up..
Synergy E7SE
Rail 696 mains & 116 tails
KDE 700XF 505KV G3 w the stock 12T pinion
Castle Creations Edge 160HV w Quick Connect
MKS HBL960HV cyclic & HBL990HV tail
iKON FBL w Bluetooth Module (iKON controls gov function)
Pulse 5000mah 45C flight pack & 3600mah RX pack
*i did stop the tail box short 4mm of full seat as suggested for use of 716 mains in case I wanted to try that blade size later*

I am still debating using a Spektrum TM1000 telemetry unit.. I've got one on my N5C and its pretty handy to be honest... I thought it would be trivial at first... But I rely on it more than I expected to.. But this build being electric I'm not sure how valuable it'll be.. So I'm up in the air on that one.. Maybe.

So let me begin my ?'s... First off the motor & ESC... For those of u using KDE motors.. What is the best/preferred settings in the castle software for motor timing & PWM rates? I know certain brand motors like particular settings.

Second ?... Head speeds.. I use iKONs gov function & not Castles.. I do not use a normal mode.. Idle 1, 2, & 3 will each have a governed speed with full cyclic & collective ranges.. This is how I have all my birds set up & will continue the same with this build. So what head speeds are u guys using? I typically like my idle 1 kinda low.. idle 2 peppy enough that I can bang around pretty good(usually stay in my idle 2), & idle 3 I usually like it as high as I can go without eating up my overhead..  I'm try'n my best to progress in 3D, so I'd say that's my style.. I think I'm more ruff and aggressive on the sticks at times, but would like to be a bit more smooth and fluid than smack.. Hard to explain.. And my mood changes with the wind so to speak.  I usually leave 10-15% overhead. But this is my first 700... I don't know what the "normal" head speeds are..  I was think'n my idle 3 should be around 2050-2150.. According to Mr Mel's calculator.. That's about all I'll be able to get.. Should I opt for the 13T pinion? What head speeds are u guys running?

Third, pitch range... On my little 450 I run 12 degrees +\-. Any higher & I end up bogging & blow'n the tail. On my 550PRO DFC & N5C I use 13 degrees +\-.... Seems perfect on those two birds... The N5C has taught me a lot about collective management.. Still have a lot to learn tho on that subject.. Anyhow.. Are there any "no no's" to the E7SE as far as pitch goes?

I suppose that's all the ?s I have for now.. I'm sure I'll have more later as I begin to do the programming & set up... Hopefully this weekend.. I'd like to give the maiden early next week if all goes as planned. Thanks in advance for ur input & advise!

[curmudgeon]

You have good quality electronics.

(1) I would get the 13T (Hard Coat) pinion for those headspeeds.  That's what I have.  I spin 716/106 blades at 2,000rpm HS with the VBar governor.

(2) I run all KDE motors with the Castle PWM at 12 and Timing set to normal.  I tried Low timing(0), but it did not work out as well as normal.

[Mike Spano]

I also run all KDE motors and I run them at PWM 12, and Timing Normal. I do play with timing a little on a new build to see how she responds though.

Headspeeds, I like mine sort of how you do. using the 13T pinion, I run the following HS with the exact same motor you are running.
N - 1700
IU1 - 2050 (minimum overhead warning)
IU2 - 2150 (max HS warning)

I was told by the castle guys, that the castle gov performs its best when the % in the castle software is from 95-105% in hover. I can attest that the heli does seem to be much happier there than anywhere else. if it were me, I would run the castle gov over the IKON gov, if not only for the simplicity factor. the new castle gov is very very nice.

I run a lot of pitch on all of my helis, it helps me stop very crisply. the trick is, staying out of it when your flying and doing maneuvers. on my E7SE, I run around 13.5-14 +/-, the same I run on my N7's,  N5C, and E5. Normal pitch for a person new to a 700 electric, I would recommend 11-12.5 +/-, until  you get used to the power. with that motor, that heli is going to be insanely powerful. mine actually gives me a rush when flying it. that motor is easier on packs than other motors I have tried also.

[cml001]

Well if I keep the 12T pinion I'll be using 104.6% to keep a gov'd HS of 2100... I've never flown a 700 before so I can't say that that would be my preferred HS or not.. Most likely not tho.. Unless I'm in "the zone" ... And for me that still isn't doin a whole lot of tricks.. Just means that my thumbs are move'n faster.. Lol.. May just keep the 12T for the break-in/tuning period and see how it goes.. Decisions decisions..

[Rodney Kirstine]

I ran my E7SE at 1950 RPM, mostly,  and really liked it at that head speed.

[curmudgeon]

My collective management is not very refined.  I still need raw power to get me out of trouble.  716/106 blades spinning at 2,000rpm (13T pinion, VBar governor) do the trick for me.  Once my skills improve, I'll try lower RPM's.

[Rodney Kirstine]

My collective management is not very refined.  I still need raw power to get me out of trouble.  716/106 blades spinning at 2,000rpm (13T pinion, VBar governor) do the trick for me.  Once my skills improve, I'll try lower RPM's.

The N5C improved my collective management skills immensely! I had no idea how ham fisted I was being with the collective until I started flying nitro.

[cml001]

Agreed..

[curmudgeon]

Unfortunately, nitro is not a viable option for me.  My local flying field is electric only (noise complaints by the nearby neighborhood to the county), and neither nitro nor gas is allowed at the local parks in my county.

[Rodney Kirstine]

That's a bummer.

[cml001]

Ok.. Got the last of my servos in last night... All that's needed it figure the routing of wires & loom them.. Got back & thread lock all the frame hardware (sub assemblies have already been done) and begin programming... Bad new is that the weather is calling for rain throughout the week.. So not sure when I'll be able to maiden and begin tuning.. But the bird should be complete by Monday(at work now & work tomorrow.. 12hr shifts suck!).  Excited!

[cml001]

I'm try'n to mount the CF servo arms on the servo wheel (Futaba part# FUTM2020)... If I do per the manual and mount the CF horn on the backside of the wheel.. Bolts thru from the back.. The head of the bolts rest on the top of the servo case... Can I mount the CF on the outside of the wheel? Suggestions?

[cml001]

Shim between the top of the servo splin & the inside of the wheels splin?

[curmudgeon]

The MKS servo dimensions are a bit different than Futaba servos.  The MKS servos are substantially deeper than the Futaba servos, so that's why you need servo shims to prevent the right and left MKS servos from contacting each other at the butt.  A 1mm worth of shims should suffice.


As far as dealing with the issue of the servo wheel cap head screws contacting the MKS servo case (different design than Futaba servos), the solution is very easy.  Replace the stock M2x6mm cap head screws with M2x6 button head screws.  The button head is much shallower than the stock cap heads, and it will give you the clearance you need.

I went a step further and used slightly longer screws, so that I could use M2 nylock nuts as I prefer to use alternatives to Loctite as much as possible.  The M2x8mm button head screws would work very well with nylock nuts.

[cml001]

Thanks for the tip!